Swivel head-lamp for motor-cars.



E. W. SHAW. SWIVEL HEAD LAMP FOR MOTOR CARS.

' APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18. 1915. 121mm. Patented Feb.13,1917.

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SWIVEL HEAD-InAlVIlZ FOR MQ'IIOR-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented n t. 13, sm.

Application filed September 1 8, 1315. Serial No. 51,420.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, 'Emvnnn Wonsrnn SHAW, a subject oi theKingof Great Brit aim, and residing at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Comi'nonwealth of Australia,have invented certain iicw-"and useful Improve ments in Swivel llead-lnnnps for Motor- (fars, of which the following is a spcr'vi'li cation.

The object of this invention is to n'ovide means whereby the head-lainps of motor cars and such vehicles will be ope ated to swivel-or move in order to overcome the 'iresent' troubles arising" from the'use of lixed lamps, especially when the car is makiug turns} in roads -or streets. It is contemplated by the p'resentinvention to so construct head-lamps that may be turned to direct theirlight in the direction of travel of the car. I

' The present invention comprises afswivel or pivoted means whereby companion head lamps, or one single la-mp, asthecase may be, are adapted to be automatically controlled in unison by and with the steering gear of thevehicle. The invention further coinprises a certain novel construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereafter more fully described and finally pointed out in the appended claims: In" the I accompanying drawings which form part of the "'specifi-c'ation Figure lis an elevation insection showing the swivel or pivoted means fol-use with a single head-lamp and capable of being turnedto either side by the steering gearfof the vehicle. T

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing an operative connection between the lamp and said steering gear-"and tl'irough 'wliich a single lamp is controlled. t I Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illu strating'astructural modification of the said pivoted means for use with companion head-lamps and adapted to beloperated by the steering gear.

Fig. Al is a plan view showing a connection between companion headlam ps and the steering gear wherebythe movement of said lamp is controlled.

Referring to Fig. 1, a indicates a tubular standard secured conveniently on the body of the car a and pivota-lly supporting a forked lamp bracket a provided With a depending stem 6. The standard a is suitably formed at its opposite end to receive the cones Z1 and IF. The upper cone formed integral with the'bracket a? while thelower cone Z) is threaded on the lower portion of the stem 6. The cone is removable from the stem b,"thereby permit-- tingthe various parts to be assembled. and Connected in a niai'ifner which will be understood! The cone 6 has a portion thereol' preferably formed with flat Faces adiiptcijl to beengaged by a tool so as to elljcct the adjustment thereof. .l'i mvevcr 1 do not liniitihyself to the exact construction of the cone. V

The coil springs c? and a" surround the stem Z) andare arranged one above the other, the innenends of which engage with the pins 0 and c, respectively, projecting flfQln the stem 6 and which permanently cngage with said pins, which latter tend to hold the springs in their 'esp ective positions. The inwardly projectingpins d and d provided on the standard a alternately engage with the respective outer terminals and (Z of the springs c and accord ing to the direction of rotation of the stem 7). A stop pin 0*, centrally arranged between the pinsc and 0, projects inwardly from the staiidard (L and is adapted to alternately en gag'efivith the inner ends (Z and (Z of said springs, the springs 0 and c are each adapt ed to be wound up or tensioned upon said stein by the alternate rotation of the latter. It'will thus be understood that when the bracket a is turned in one direction one of the" springs will be tensioned upon the stem between its respective terminal pins, which tensioning of the spring will cause the latter to rotate the stem 6 and return the bnack et'a to its normalcentered position.

A disk 0 is rigidly carried on the stem preferably belowt'he cone 6 and is formed with a notch cwhich is engaged by a spring pawl 0 said pawl being suitably secured at g te the standarda, as shown. The pur pose of the pawl and diskis to lock the lamp bracket a in its normal centered posi tion afterbeing returned thereto by either ofthe springsc and 0 in the manner just described.

An arm 7 projects from the lower end of thestem b and has its outer end connected with a cable f through the medium of a suitable adjustment clamp. The cable f passes from the clamp i around the guide Wheels f and is secured to the clamp f at a central point on the coupling rod 7' of the steering gear of the vehicle, as will be seen from Fig. 2, and then returns to and is socured to the arm 7' as shown.

The modification disclosed in Figs. 8 and i shows the use of the invention with companion head-lamps a: and 3 At a central point of the stem j depending from the forked lamp bracket y" projects a small pin j which engages in an inclined and coinciding slot j formed in the standard a. By means of said slot and pin 7' the stem is limited in its radial movement to a predetermined degree. The stem j is surrounded by a coil spring 7'* which is capable of being wound to place it under tension in a similar manner as just described in connection with the showing of Fig. 1, the spring j having one end engaging with the pin 7' projecting from the stem 7' and its other end adapted to engage with thepm j projecting from the standard a. lVith this form of the in vention, which is used with companion head-lamps, a standard a is disposed upon and secured to opposite sides of the body of the car, as shown in Fig. 5, and the stem j of each standard has projecting therefrom an arm or having connection with a cable m through the adjustment clamps m carried by said arms m. The cable m is secured at an intermediate point, preferably to a central point, of the coupling rod f of the steering gear of the vehicle.

The companion lamps w and 3 are adapted to move independently of each other, as, for instance, when the car turns to the right, the lamp on the right-hand side of the car will be turned to the right by the shifting of the coupling rod 7 of the steering gear, which movement is transmitted from the cable m to the stem j. The spring 7' surrounding said stem is so arranged that it will be tensioned by such movement and when the steering gear is again straightened out will return the lamp g to its normally centered position. During this operation of the right-hand lamp, the left-hand lamp will remain stationary. However, a similar operation of the left-hand lamp will take place when the steering gear of the vehicle is shifted to the left.

The operation of the showing in Fig. 1 is as follows: Assuming that the car is being turned to the right, the consequent movement of the steering gear coupling rod 7 causes the central or single lamp a to be turned to the right since the right-hand side portion of the cable f becomes taut while the lefthand side portion of the cable correspondingly becomes slack. A similar but converse operation takes place when the lamp is turned to the left. As soon as the car assumes a straight course, the cable releases its pull and allows the spring 0 or 0 which has been wound up, to relax and cause the lamp to return to its normal position.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In dirigible head-lamps for vehicles, comprising a tubular standard secured to the vehicle, a shaft disposed in said standard, cone-shaped hearings on said shaft and adapted to engage with the ends of said hollow standard for rotatablysecuring the shaft in position relative to the standard, one of said bearings being removable and adjustable on said shaft, a lamp bracket carried by one end of said shaft and rotatable therewith, spring means disposed in said standard and surrounding said shaft for rotating the same to its normal position when said spring means is tensioned, and means connected to the other end of the shaft for turning the latter and tensioning said spring means.

2. A dirigible head-lamp for vehicles, comprising a tubular standard secured to the vehicle, a shaft disposed in said standard, cone-shaped bearings on said shaft and adapted to engage with the ends of said hollow standard for rotatably securing the shaft in position relative to the standard, one of said bearings being removable and adjustable on said shaft, a lamp bracket carried by one end of said shaft and rotatable therewith, spring means within said standard and surrounding said shaft for rotating the same to its normal position when said spring means is tensioned, means connected to the other end ofthe shaft for turning the latter and tensioning said spring means, a disk rigid on said shaft and having a notch therein, and a spring detent secured to said standard and adapted to engage in said notch to yieldingly hold the shaft in its normal position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD; l VORSTER SHAW.

Witnesses REGINALD F. Coon, W. H. Hon'rnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of .Eatents, Washington, D. 0. 

